LGBT groups succeeded in extracting an apology from ‘Precious’ star Gabourey Sidibe after she repeatedly uttered the slang word “tranny” during an appearance on Arsenio Hall’s show on Jan. 23.

Sidibe, 30, recounted an incident that occurred when she visited a certain bar that is frequented by transgender individuals.

Gabourey Sidibe: There was a bar that we would frequent and every time we’d go, when we were leaving every single time there was always like a gang of cops arresting trannies.
Audience: [Laughter]

Sidibe: Specifically trannies.

Arsenio Hall: Yeah…

Sidibe: And I don’t know what goes on with trannies but that tranny on tranny crime needs to stop!

Arsenio Hall and audience: [Laughter]

Sidibe [chuckling]: It is tearing our nation apart!

In an apology posted on her official twitter page, Sidibe said she didn’t realize the word “tranny” was a slur.

She’s not the only one.

Every transgender person I know uses the word “tranny” to describe themselves or each other. But I guess this is one of those situations where — like the word “nigga” — it’s only offensive when used by people outside of a particular group.

According to the sensitive folks over at the pro gay Huffington Post, “the use of the term ‘tranny,’ the tone of the segment and the way the segment was packaged and presented on ‘The Arsenio Hall Show’s'” was offensive to some.

19 Responses to “Gabourey Sidibe on the hot seat for repeated use of the word ‘tranny’”

Right. I use the word tranny all the time and the word fag. When you watch the clip, she didn’t have any ill intent at all. She was actually speaking of how the trannies in New Orleans are harassed and singled out by the cops there and it needs to stop. So her apology is sincere unlike the many who scream fag, fag, queer and mean it from the pits of their stomachs. They too have the right to say what they want, but I’d rather you didn’t apologize for saying how u feel. She’s apologizing because she truly didn’t know it was an offensive term. Hell, neither did I.

Whenever she lands another acting job, it’s another middle finger gesture to Howard Stern who made the strong statement that because of the way Gabby looks, she’ll never work again. She’s done better than most actresses who have been in Hollywood for decades.

But I guess this is one of those situations where — like the word “nigga” — it’s only offensive when used by people outside of a particular group.
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You meant the term “N!gger.”

Because all one has to do is open their ears and eyes to notice that white kids, especially boys, use more than a few of our “nigga” phrases.

Some of their favorites:

Nigga please.

Man niggas be trippin.

That’s my nigga tho.

That nigga lame.

Folks are entitled to get pissed about whatever the want. For myself, I could careless about them using the phrases because my white friends use them. TRUST me when I say the know the difference in connotation between gga and gger. This “we can say it but they can’t” shyt has been beat to fcuking death. At first it was the N-word and blacks kicking up dust about “other” folks using it. Now every opposed “minority” like gays and trannies are taking the same route. Now folks wanna say it’s stupid, when the dynamics of the situation are the same. Only difference is that the ones hollering foul aren’t a race, now they’re a class.

Blacks folks hollering it’s cultural to start using a modified version of a word that white folks gave to our asses to degrade us. Shyt it’s their word in the first place, not ours. And who are any of us to define what is cultural for a group of folks (LGBT) that we don’t belong to? Isn’t that what we are accusing white’s of when using “our word?” But I’m done before I even get started because ion want my fam on her mad at me.

I’m just calling it like it is tho. Most of this shyt is in fact, senseless.

And I will say, these gay shows be the first ones to use the derogatory term. Watch the logo channel and see for yourselves. Will and Grace made all type of cracks and have used the word fag numerous times. Blythe Danner, Gwyneth Paltrow’s mom, played Will’s mother. One episode she referred to him as her little fagala (fag-a-la).

It’s becoming too much where hell, you can’t even communicate at all cuz folks are offended by everything.